Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Ask Henri the black Labrador to stay, and he will most likely stand stock still, staring at you expectantly.

The problem is, he will do exactly the same thing if you ask him to sit, fetch, or roll over.

For although Henri now lives in Yorkshire with his English owner, the four-year-old was born and raised in France, and he seems to be having a little trouble learning a new language.

Because English commands get lost in translation, Henri’s master, Craig Burton, is forced to give instructions in the Labrador’s native French, which can attract suspicious looks from fellow dogwalkers in the local park in Leeds.

And like a true Frenchman, Henri will ignore even requests in French unless they are delivered in an accurate accent.

Mr Burton, the managing director of a recruitment company, said: ‘When we are out on a walk I get some very strange looks when I put on this French accent and talk to Henri.

‘People think I’m just being pretentious.

‘He was brought up and taught in France so obviously everyone spoke to him in French, and he simply doesn’t understand commands or anything in English. If you tell him to do anything in English he just stares back blankly and doesn’t move.’

When Mr Burton is away and leaves his pet with friends or family they have to be given a list of translations in order to control the lively Labrador.

‘It does cause problems,’ he says. ‘I went back to France recently where I own a house, and left him (in England) with my dad. I had to leave him a list of French expressions written phonetically so he could communicate with Henri.

‘I think there were lots of problems. Henri didn’t understand my dad, who is a Yorkshireman, trying to speak French to him so it was quite frustrating for my dad. The dog just completely ignored him, as he does when anyone speaks English to him. I think they were both relieved when I got back.’

Bachelor Mr Burton, 45, bought the dog when he lived in Pau in south-west France, and named him after King Henri IV, who was born in the town.

Although still a puppy at the time, Henri was already old enough to have been trained in French.

He has kept other Continental habits, too. He loves French cheese and will happily chomp down figs and olives.

But despite the cultural differences, his owner wouldn’t have Henri any other way.‘As long as you say something in French with a French accent he’s very obedient, he’s a smashing dog,’ he said.

‘He’s adapted really well to live in the UK and loves it here, this is his home now. He enjoys swimming in the canal.’